Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Tobacco Free Nigeria, in partnership with Health Promotion Education and Community Development Initiative (HPECDI), on Sunday, called on Nigerians to shun smoking especially in public places.
The group gave the charge during a one day sensitisation tour, in Benin-City.
Coordinator of the group, Mrs. Charity Ainobe–Asekharen, said smoking is not only dangerous to those involved in the act, but also to those around them.
In her words, “One of the major thing we intend to achieve with this sensitization tour is to create awareness on the dangers inherent in smoking.
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“We decided to start from Ugbiyokho Community because this is the place where HPECDI is domiciled.
“We have been working for the past one year and our focus mainly has been in schools so as to catch them young.
“We believe that if we are able to inculcate in the young minds the right moral values by educating them on the dangers associated with smoking, we would have been able to mould their characters into becoming a more decent and responsible adults.
“With our partnership with Tobacco Free Nigeria Campaign, we are able to broaden our scope to capture other persons both young and old ” she said.
On their parts, Mr. Nosa Ogbebor, Manager, Mama Ebo Pepper Rice, and Mr. Douglas Edokpayi, Manager Big Choice Salon, both in Benin-City, commended the effort of the group, noting that their facilities are smoke free zone.
HPECDI is a non-governmental organisation whose aim is to proactively promote the total health and wellbeing of the youth population in Africa so as to promote sustainable growth and development through the utilisation of evolving health promotion strategies.